Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid

Dactylorhiza majalis

The Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid is a beautiful flower that grows in wet places. Its lovely purple blooms attract butterflies and bees, making it a special part of nature's garden.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid has striking magenta-purple flowers densely packed in an upright spike, often appearing almost conical. Its broad, lance-shaped leaves are uniquely marked with distinctive dark spots, making it stand out against other green wetland plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAsparagalesFamilyOrchidaceaeGenusDactylorhiza

Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid

Interesting facts

It can live for many years, with some orchid species surviving for a century!

Its scientific name means "finger-root," after its peculiar hand-shaped underground tubers!

Orchid seeds are as fine as dust, so tiny that thousands can fit on a fingertip!

Some marsh orchids can change their flower color slightly based on the soil!

Special abilities

Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid has a special friendship with underground fungi that helps it get nutrients from the soil, enabling it to grow in poor conditions.

Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid can store energy in its finger-shaped tubers underground, helping it survive cold winters and re-emerge each spring.

Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid has brightly colored petals and guiding patterns that act like landing strips, luring insects to pollinate its intricate flowers.

Measurements & details

Height: 20-60 cm
Spread: 10-20 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

symbiotic with

Tulasnella fungus

Tulasnella calospora

aids nutrient uptake for growth

pollinates

Buff-tailed bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

carries pollen between flowers

eaten by

Black slug

Arion ater

slugs sometimes graze its leaves

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.